ARTICLES

Rob Thompson: The Original Ghost Story

Barbara Fara
MusicIncider Magazine
Editor-In-Chief

I got the chance to pick Rob Thompson’s brain. Rob is an incredible musician.
He has a fan fucking tastic set of pipes, and plays a guitar like somebody set
him on fire. The Black Aura demo cd sounds exactly like Rob and his band live.
Rob opened for Glen Danzig about ten years ago, and is still gigging. Rob Thompson
is an icon in the Atlanta music scene, and everyone that has heard his fucking
music LOVES it. –Rob also owns Holy Mother Tattoo DEEP in the heart of
Little Five Points with his wife Colette, complete with the blessing of Sacred
Heart Tattoo (another L5P institution). –Rob is a great guy with a great
band, and he can put that ink on you that you have always dreamed about. Read
On!

MI-What is your birth date?
Rob-October 18 1970 8:58am

MI-So tell me how the band got together. Who are your band
mates, what do they play, and how did you meet?
Rob-The band originally formed in the late 1980's we played
for a few years and then disbanded for, oh, 10 years or so. Then we decided
to start playing again; Chris Baker on Lead Guitar, Chris Cauble on Bass, And
Michael Robinson on Drums completed the new line up. We met through the local
music scene originally, Me and the two Chris'- I knew Mike from his love of
pain and knew he would be a perfect fit for Ghost Story.

MI-Tell Me a Joke.
Rob-what does a stripper do to her asshole before she goes
to work?
A: drops him off at band practice.

MI-Who were your musical influences growing up?
Rob-A local Atlanta band called 'threshold of pain' was probably
one of my biggest influences, as far as playing in a band and all of that. Musically
I loved a few choice Rock, Punk rock, and Metal bands.... It’s really
still the music I love the most today - early metallica (first three albums)
- SamHain - Black Sabbath - King crimson is also one of my favorites.

MI-What do you do besides play music?
Rob-I am a tattooist by trade, so my heart is in art, but I
believe that life is the real art itself, and its all play really.

MI-Have you ever inhaled?
Rob-I don't think I have ever stopped.

MI-Describe your music.
Rob-Loud hard guitar rock

MI-If a nuclear bomb were to wipe out everybody but you and
three people, who would those three people be and why?
Rob-Well, I would need my Wife, My son, and a (female) urologist
to reverse my vasectomy.

MI-Do you believe in psychics why or why not?
Rob-Yes, we are all psychics; our entire experience of the
world is psychic in nature, so how could it be otherwise?

MI-Tell me about your musical history.
Rob-My Mother had me playing classical instruments till I was
about 14 years old. I went from Violin to String Bass over the course of about
7 years, then quit it all to play rock in roll!

MI-If you could play anywhere place in the world where it would
be and why?
Rob-I would like a steady gig in Amsterdam .... the art, the
architecture, the social climate and the weed.

MI-What would you say was your worst job and why?
Rob-Any Number of hard ass manual labor jobs, just cause they
suck!

MI-What made you decide to become a musician?
Rob-I remember deciding to form a band in 6th grade with some
friends, we liked AC/DC and the Ramones... I never really stopped after that.

MI-How do you think you are different then anyone doing the
same stuff out there?
Rob-They are them and I am me, its a whole new perspective
over here!

MI-What was the greatest thing that ever happened to you and
why do you think it is the greatest thing?
Rob-ask me that again next life...I want the full range to
answer that one.

MI-Who is your hero and why?
Rob-Ra-Hoor-Khuit! Heru Ra Ha!

MI-If you could open for anyone, who would it be and why?
Rob- I think it would be fun to open for Iron Maiden, so we
could all watch Chris C.

MI-What are your goals as a musician?
Rob-to play music for as many people as possible!

MI-If you could bring anybody back from the dead, who would
it be and why?
Rob-Jesus. 'Cause if I could resurrect the resurrected. I would
be in a pretty good power spot.

MI-What about the world pisses you off the most and why? What
would you do to change it?
Rob-peoples tendency to dishonesty. I think it is dishonesty
that is at the root of most misfortune. My solution; give the world a spiritual
enema.

MI-If a genie came to you and granted three wishes, what would they
be?
Rob-I would want three super powers, the power to heal, the
power to fly, and the power to stop time....I could have some fun with those.

MI-If you were not a musician, what do you think you would
be doing with your life?
Rob-Enjoying it probably.

MI-Tell me about your latest project.
Rob-We are working on a group of about 16 songs for a full
recording, I have no idea when we will have it finished, we are recording it
all ourselves.

MI-Who would your compare yourself to vocally and why?
Rob-Lee Ving from FEAR, is one of my favorite vocalists, he
is just punchy as hell and he can sing well. People have told me I sound like
him a little, which I take as a compliment.

MI-What inspires your lyrics?
Rob-My lyrics are usually inspired from personal experiences
that I rehash in a metaphoric way.... its all about life itself, the push and
pull of living.

MI-Who do you think the greatest rock star of all time is and
why?
Rob-I guess I would say Iggy Pop has led a pretty good rock
star life. He's got the energy, the insanity and the charisma that defines rock
star for me.

MI-Do you believe in reincarnation? If so, who would you like
to have been?
Rob-I do, but I am not sure how it all hooks up, I would only
want to be who I also was through time, I don't know exactly what that means
but I am would like to find out.

MI-If you could have lunch with anybody, who would it be?
Rob-Aliester Crowley.

MI-If you could invite three people out for drinks, who would
they be and why?
Rob-Robert Anton Wilson, Dennis Mckenna and Dr Jonathan Ott.
The conversation would be great I'm sure!

MI-Where do you see the band in five years? Ten years?
Rob-I see us recording, and playing getting better and better!

MI-What is your favorite quote of all time?
Rob-Someone who would trade responsibility for security is
a fool and deserves neither. - George Washington

MI-Do you have a message for your present and future fans?
If so, what is it?
Rob-the best is yet to come!

Go catch Rob and Ghost Story at a club near you. You will not be disappointed,
and Rob is one hell of a nice guy. Ghost Story is a lot of fun to see live.
They fucking rock.